The US is using repurposed Iranian drone technology to attack Iran – a military expert explains why

2026-03-04 · Source: Artificial intelligence (AI) – The Conversation · Field: Technology & Digital — Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, Robotics & Autonomous Systems, Emerging Technologies & Innovation · Depth: Intermediate, medium

Summary

The US has deployed its new "Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Attack System" (Lucas) drone, a reverse-engineered version of Iran's Shahed-136, for its first combat strike against Iran, signaling a strategic shift towards "affordable mass" in American air power. The Lucas drone, costing approximately US\$35,000, was swiftly rolled out, equipped to US forces in the Middle East, and successfully sea-launched from the USS Santa Barbara in December 2025, with its combat debut confirmed on February 28. This development mirrors Iran's own use of inexpensive, domestically produced Shahed drones, which have been widely deployed by its proxies and by Russia in Ukraine, highlighting the global impact of low-cost, one-way attack systems. While Shahed-136s are long-range, pre-programmed loitering munitions, Lucas drones feature satellite connectivity for dynamic re-tasking and potential AI-powered "swarm" tactics, designed to overwhelm enemy defenses and create pathways for more advanced weaponry. The US "drone dominance" program aims to amass 340,000 such drones by early 2028, reflecting a broader military strategy to complement high-cost, advanced aircraft with expendable systems for contested environments.

Key takeaway

The US has deployed Lucas, a low-cost, one-way attack drone reverse-engineered from Iran's Shahed-136, marking a strategic shift towards "affordable mass" in air power. Costing ~\$35,000, Lucas features satellite connectivity for in-flight re-tasking and potential AI-driven swarm tactics, designed to saturate enemy defenses and create corridors for high-value assets. This program, aiming for 340,000 drones by 2028, provides AI/ML professionals critical insights into scalable, cost-effective autonomous systems for contested environments, despite ongoing challenges in full AI autonomy.

Topics

• Low-Cost Uncrewed Combat Systems
• Shahed Drones
• Drone Warfare
• Reverse Engineering
• AI-Powered Swarming Tactics

Best for: Policy Maker, Research Scientist, Tech Journalist

Related on AIssential

• The Coming Drone-War Inflection in Ukraine — Autonomous drone technology is rapidly evolving on battlefields, shifting warfare from manpower to production challenges.
• Mutable Tactics raises $2.1 million for AI drone coordination in satellite-denied environments — AI software enables military drone swarms to operate autonomously despite disrupted satellite navigation and communications.
• Pentagon wants $54B for drones, more than most nations’ military budgets — The US military is making an unprecedented investment in drone and autonomous warfare capabilities, driven by evolving battlefield dynamics.
• Europe’s drone-filled vision for the future of war — Europe is rapidly developing AI-driven drone swarms and automated targeting networks for deterrence and defense.
• 🔮 Exponential View #571: DeepSeek shows the future, again; drones on a learning curve; solar goes up, LLM pixels & tennis robots++ — Rapid iteration and cost-efficiency are critical for technological advantage in both warfare and AI development.
• Building Large-Scale Drone Defenses from Small-Team Strategies — A staged GA-DP framework scales drone defense by evolving small-team heuristics and dynamically allocating them to large swarms.

Open in AIssential →

Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by Artificial intelligence (AI) – The Conversation.